My Foray Back into Omnivory

If you've been keeping up with recent blog posts, you'll know that I've been instructed by my nutritionist to add meat back into my diet. The problem is that I've committed to eating only local, humanely-raised and minimal hormone meat which poses a problem since most restaurants can't guarantee this. So what's a girl to do?

The answer is: look around you. There are so many local producers of high quality meat in the US, and Charlotte specifically, that you don't have to compromise your values to get animal protein. Thus, I went back to my old friends at Windy Hill Farms and have been trying some of their new or premier products. Last week, I made my favorite tomato sauce from my owned canned tomatoes but added their new ground chicken and some red pepper flakes.  It was incredible, if I don't say so myself.

This week, I wanted to revamp my barbeque pork recipe. I got a pork roast from Windy Hill and used my large crock pot. This time, however, instead of just eating BBQ, I made some fajitas. Here's how I cooked the BBQ after following the above recipe using some rice from Queen City Pantry. You can get taco seasoning from Savory Spice Shop and, if it were a little later in the year, you could also get the tomatoes and cilantro from pretty much any produce vendor in NC.

Pork Fajitas (LPO)

Two good handfuls of pork BBQ, pulled apart by hand
1/2 large yellow onion, cut in 1" strips
Taco seasoning to taste
About 2 cups cooked rice
Cilantro and diced tomato (optional)

1. Simmer the onions in some olive oil or butter until soft.
2. Add the the BBQ and simmer for 5-10 minutes and flavor with taco seasoning
3. Serve with rice, cilantro, tomatoes and Greek yogurt or your favorite toppings.

This made three healthy burrito-sized fajitas using large tortillas.

Game Changer

As even infrequent readers of my blog will tell you, I try to minimize the meat and other animal products that I consume. I started this lifestyle after reading several books and doing research on the commercial meat industry. Michael Pollan, The China Study, you name it and I've read it. For almost three years now, our household has been on a minimal meat diet, replacing proteins with soy milk and tofu.

So mark your calendars because March 13, 2014 was the day my nutritionist told me to eat meat.

Why, you ask? In the course of my appointments with her, she suggested I have a nutrient test conducted and see an allergist to identify any food allergies. Here's what we found out:

• My glutamine levels are low. Glutamine is the amino acid that regulates colon health and you get it primarily from meat and dairy products.
• My B complex levels are also really low. This can cause fatigue, nausea and other stomach upsets. You get B from a lot of sources but the most accessible is pork.
• My oleic acid levels are low. This is the good stuff in olive oil, almond oil, and similar products.
• My allergy test showed a distinct allergy to soy products (like soy sauce, tofu, soy milk, etc).

What does this mean? Basically, by trying to go animal-fat free, I've been poisoning my colon with food that it can't tolerate and depriving it of something that, especially as someone with IBS, I desperately need. By trying to be healthier, I've been making myself sicker.

But what now? I'm still processing all this but the one decision I have made is that I have to start eating meat. I'm not going to go out and order chicken nuggets, but I am going to walk up to the farmer I buy eggs from and tell her that this is the week I want meat too (I'm sure she'll be thrilled).

The good news? Gluten doesn't seem to be an issue for my system but, after doing a lot of research on wheat in the 21st century, there are a lot of things about gluten that isn't great so I will continue to minimize my gluten intake to delicious local breads and pastries from Nova's (it's tough but I'll manage!).

Miso Soup Reimagined

One random but tasty thing my nutritionist recommended to help restabilize my bacteria was miso. I don't know much about this ingredient but I do know I love miso soup so I went to my friendly neighborhood Whole Foods who, in my opinion, has the best soup starters out there. I can take very little credit for this recipe which I got off the box but I was able to substitute several local items that you can find at the market. You can still get kale, which I get from the Lomax Farm where they grow it in a greenhouse this time of year, butternut squash for all over (though it has been less successful this year, says the farmers), and shiitake mushrooms from Cotton Barn Mushrooms. These ingredients are for 4 cups of miso broth so the recipe is easily scalable.

Miso Soup (V)
4 cups miso broth
1 handful shiitake mushrooms, chopped
1 large handful kale, cut into 1/2" pieces
1/4 onion, chopped
1 cup butternut squash, cut into 1/2" pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil as needed for pan
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Saute the onions, garlic and mushrooms until coated in olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add kale and butternut squash, coating in the oil, cooking for about 5 minutes.
3. Add the miso broth and bring to a boil.
4. Let simmer for 15-20 minutes or until squash reaches desired tenderness.

A New Adventure

 

After 6 years of living with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, I decided it was time for a change. I have such a long list of things I avoid eating I could write a book (or a long blog) and am tired of having to cancel social events because of pain and other unfortunate symptoms. I asked around and found that a family friend in the area is not only a nutritionist part time but is also incredibly knowledgeable about IBS. Our meeting and her suggestions have sent me a new food journey which has also renewed my vigor for writing about new recipes.

Though I came away from our first meeting with a veritable laundry list of suggestions, good foods and bad foods, the biggest take away so far is that the amount and type of gluten and soy in my diet could be a huge contributor to the imbalance in my GI system. So the first order of business is to cut out refined grains, gluten products and the mass amounts of soy milk and tofu that I eat. I'm hoping that this is only temporary because really, a life without bread? I'll take the bloating and cramps, thank you very much.

Month One of the new diet has included a lot of recipes which I'll start recounting over the coming weeks. The real trick though is replacing some items like bread, pasta, crackers, etc that I get from the farmers market with other local items. This first recipe was very easy because Windy Hill has an amazing selection of sausage, there are lots of butternut squash still available, and Queen City Pantry just started selling vegetable stock. I also got most of the spices (as well as almost all the spices in my kitchen) from the Savory Spice Shop.

A note about meat: avid readers will know that for 2-3 years, I have been avoiding meat except for locally-grown or other conscientious meat options and even those only rarely. One suggestion from my nutritionist is to introduce small amounts of meat on a regular basis. Thus, you'll see some more meat recipes, all of which I plan to make with locally-available protein options.

Roast Butternut Squash Soup with Sausage (LPO)

3-4 pounds butternut squash,

2 large carrots

1 small onion

3 cloves garlic, peeled

Olive oil as needed

1/2 pound sausage (I used Chorizo but the book suggests mild Italian)

4 cups broth or stock

1/2 teaspoon of each: cinnamon, ground ginger and allspice

1 bay leaf

Toast almonds as garnish (optional)

1. Cut the squash, carrots and onions into 1" pieces. Combine them and the peeled garlic into a large bowl, coat with olive oil, salt and pepper.
2. Bake them on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes until the squash is easily pierced with a fork.
3. Put the sausage on the stove in a large stockpot, turn on medium and cook through.
4. While sausage is cooking, put all veggies from the oven into a blender and blend about half way. Put half the broth/stock in the blend and blend completely.
5. Combine the remaining stock and the veggie puree with the sausage in the stock pot, adding the spices and bay leaf.
6. Bring to a boil then simmer for 10-15 minutes and serve. 

Recipe source: Against all Grain by Danielle Walker

Pimento Cheese-Stuffed Peppers

Is your mouth watering yet? Because this post's promises are all going to come true...

While at the Atherton Market last night, I ran into a new (to me) vendor, Coto Family Farms, that had an amazing variety of peppers as well as herbs, squash, tomatoes and gourds. They have your standard bell peppers but they were also selling some beautiful anaheims, seranos, jalapenos and pimentos which gave me the idea for something I've never tried from scratch: pimento cheese.

So with my trusty smart phone, I looked up then and there a recipe for southern pimento cheese. I found one that not only uses pimento peppers but also jalapenos. Since just down the aisle Queen City Pantry (formerly Simply Local) sells amazing cheddar cheese from Ashe County Cheese, I knew I had about half of what I needed at my fingertips before walking out of the market. I also had the requisite amount of my homemade mayo which I make from Windy Hill Farm eggs, olive oil and lemon which gave this pimento cheese a real citrusy kick. Below is the recipe for the pimento cheese but I then stuffed some halved anaheim peppers and baked them at 350 for about 10 minutes to soften the outside. This was half of our meal but would also be great as an appetizer.

Southern Style Pimento Cheese (v)
2 cups shredded medium cheddar cheese
8 oz cream cheese
1 pimento pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, diced
1/2 cup of mayo
1/4 teaspoon of each of the following: garlic powder,  ground cayenne pepper, celery salt

1. Combine all in a large bowl.
2. Using a hand mixer, blend for 20-30 seconds or until the cream cheese is completely mixed in.
3. Serve immediately and keep refrigerated.

I served the stuffed anaheims with a sliced tomato from the Lomax Incubator Farm and fresh salsa and chips made with more tomatoes from Lomax. I then made a tomato and pimento cheese sandwich for lunch the next day.

Easy Peasy Meals

One of the biggest complaints I hear about local food is that it takes more time to prepare raw ingredients than pre-made or out of the box meals. This is true but should not scare away those that haven't gotten their frying pan or dutch oven out of the cabinet for months. With just a couple common ingredients, you can make almost any local vegetable delicious. Here are some of my go-to preparation methods when I'm not following a specific recipe or can't just throw a salad together. I've listed some vegetables I prepare these ways off the top of my head but the options are endless!

Olive Oil, Garlic and Onion (V) 
This method works for summer squashes, zucchini, turnips, rutabagas, mushrooms, peppers, and many bitter leafy greens (ie bok choi). I use a normal yellow onion but if spring onions or garlic scapes are in season, throw those in too. Soy sauce is another good option to add an Asian-inspired kick to the meal, especially if you're going to serve this over rice like I usually do.

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan or skillet on high.
2. Mince garlic and onion and add to the skillet. Cook till onions are soft. (If you want to add meat, add it with the onions and garlic and cook till almost done).
3. Add your vegetables, hardest ones first. Toss in the oil until covered then stir often until they reach your desired tenderness. 

I made both zucchini and bok choi for this meal with basmati rice.

Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper in the Oven (V)
For your winter squashes, harder vegetables, or those that just don't soften adequately in a skillet, this is a great low-fat method. I use this for beets, winter squashes like butternut and acorn, and any and all potato varieties. It really allows the vegetables' natural flavors to shine.

1. Sprinkle olive oil in a brownie-sized baking dish.
2. Cut desired vegetable in approximately 1" pieces and place in pan. Drizzle with more oil, salt and pepper to taste.
3. Cook at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until they've reached your desired tenderness. For harder vegetables or large pieces, cover with tin foil for the first half of the cooking time then remove to get a nice outer coating on the veggies.

Cheese or Greek Yogurt (v, LPO)
Cheese can save so many meals from being boring and we have some amazing cheeses in North Carolina. Cows, goats and sheep live all over the U.S. so no matter where you live, you probably have access to local cheese. For those that are watching the calories, try Greek-style yogurts instead, also available from many dairy farmers. Yogurt can often be added to sauces to both bolster the flavor as well as the portion and protein content.

Pasta:

1. Cook pasta till it's just on the raw side of al dente.
2. Follow the olive-oil-onion-garlic method above, then toss the pasta in the frying pan with the onions. 
3. Put whatever cheese or yogurt you have and stir in a bowl then add the pasta and mix. For hard cheeses, shred the cheese first. Stir until covered.
4. Optional: place entire bowl in the oven to warm through.

Grains:
One of my new favorite recipes is this one that uses quinoa, an ancient grain that's incredibly good for you, and kale which is abundant this time of year.

1 cup raw quinoa
1 1/4 cup water
2 large handfuls of kale, sliced small
3 tablespoons pine nuts
Juice of half a lemon
1/4 cup goat cheese

1. Boil water then add the quinoa. Let simmer at medium-low heat for 10 minutes covered.
2. Add the kale just on top of the quinoa and leave covered for 5 more minutes to soften the greens.
3. In a ceramic bowl, place lemon, pine nuts and cheese. 
4. Add the quinoa and mix well. Salt to taste.

This is one of the easiest meals and has lots of protein!

The Beet Revolution

Ok, so maybe I'm not changing lives here but I am really excited that beets are back at the market. I've never experimented with them much but a friend brought a beet salad similar to the one below to a dinner party recently and they were just so pretty that I went out and bought a huge bundle of them from Houston Farm. These things were absolutely gorgeous even before cutting them open:

All of that was just $3!

So what does one do with beets? The two things I'm most familiar with is salad, where the beets can really stand on their own, or roasting them as a side dish. Here are the two recipes I've used most recently.

Beet and Goat Cheese Salad (v)
3 medium beets, trimmed, cleaned and cut in quarters
1/2 cup goat cheese
1/4 cup mint, chopped
3-4 tablespoons pine nuts (optional)
Salt to taste

1. Put the quartered beets in a large saucepan and cover with water.
2. Boil for 20-30 minutes or until a knife cuts easily. Remove and put in a large bowl in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.
3. Combine goat cheese, mint and pine nuts. 
4. Cut the beets into 1/2 inch pieces and add to cheese mixture. Mix well (helpful to use your hands).

Doesn't look amazing in pictures but this is a beautiful salad!

Roasted Beets (V)
3 medium beets, trimmed, cleaned and cut in 3/4 inch pieces
Olive oil for coating beats
Thyme (or other herb of choice) and sea salt to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees  and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Toss the beets, olive oil, and thyme in a bowl until beets are coated, and arrange pieces of beet on baking sheet so that they don't touch. Sprinkle the beets with sea salt.
3. Roast in the preheated oven until the beets are tender, 10 to 20 minutes. A fork inserted into a beet cube should come out easily.

I served my roasted beets with a slice of my tofu quiche. Delicious!